Dedication
by AZGirl
Summary: Word had reached Robin about the spec ops team he used to be embedded with as a journalist during his time in Iraq. And the news wasn't good.


**Spoilers:** None. Takes place pre-series and will most likely become AU one day.

**A/N:** It's funny how talking about an idea for one story can lead to ideas for others. This one decided it needed to be written first.

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"We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this." ~~~ Abraham Lincoln, "Gettysburg Address"

**ooooooo**

Robin sighed as he continued doing a final read through of the manuscript for his first novel. It was a tedious, but necessary, exercise in order to be certain the plot flowed and there weren't any holes or logic bumps. He was lucky; even though this was his first effort at a full-length novel, he already had an editor and a publisher interested in the book. Apparently, his reputation as a fair, honest journalist was worth a little something in the literary world by giving him a foot in the door.

He knew his editor would be working with him to get his final draft ready for publication, assuming it was accepted, but he wanted to make it easier on her. Besides, his work ethic was something that still mattered greatly to him. He wanted this final draft to be the best it could be, especially considering recent events. Today's news had not helped his desire to work on his manuscript, but he knew he had to get it done.

Nearly ten weeks ago, when he was almost finished writing the book, word had reached him about the spec ops team he used to be embedded with as a journalist during his time in Iraq. And the news wasn't good. At all.

Something had happened to Thomas, Rick, TC, and Nuzo while they were out on a mission. Even now, there were precious few details available. In essence, the guys had gone out on a mission, been ambushed, and then they'd simply disappeared. He had used his contacts who were still in the Middle East and called in some favors in order to keep up to date on the situation, but there had been no additional news in weeks. Given how little information had come out about what had happened, if it weren't for their families and friends, it would almost seem as if the four men had never existed.

All evidence of the incident left behind had been classified except for one grim fact – there were no bodies. No bodies could mean several different things. The guys could be KIA, and their bodies desecrated beyond all recognition, or they could be POWs, languishing in captivity and enduring torture. Their bodies could show up at a later date, never be found, or even some nightmare combination of scenarios. There was no way of knowing what had happened to his friends.

It's difficult to hope for one scenario over the other, since most meant his friends were dead and the other meant his friends only _wished_ they were dead. He wants them to be alive, but the longer the situation drags out, the less likely that will be the case and the less likely there will ever be closure.

He tried to get in touch with the CIA handler that Magnum's team had been assigned to just before he'd returned to the States, but so far he'd had no luck. Robin wasn't really surprised by that fact, since the CIA was notoriously difficult to nail down at the best of times, especially when it was a journalist doing the asking.

Needless to say, because he'd gotten his ideas for his book from Magnum's past missions, the news about the guys had totally killed his desire to write or even edit the manuscript he'd worked so hard on for the past year. Eventually, he'd had to go on; he had a deadline to make if he wanted to make his dream of getting a book published come true.

And, somehow, thanks to his detailed notes and research, he managed to pick up where he'd left off and carried on, finishing the book in a final writing frenzy over a long weekend. By the final chapter, the good guys had won the day and were on the mend, living to fight another day, ready to go on another thrilling adventure.

He could only hope that would be the case with his friends, especially Thomas, who he'd based his book's main character on. Magnum was aware of the book, knew it was based in part on some of his adventures, at least the parts he could talk about, and had been looking forward to reading it when it was published. Though Robin had some doubts about that, Thomas never had, encouraging him to keep going when he was dealing with writer's block.

Robin had sent a draft of the first chapter to Magnum and the guys several weeks before they'd gone out on that last, doomed mission, but he'd never heard back from them about it. He had no idea if it had even been delivered or if it was languishing somewhere with the rest of Magnum's belongings.

Earlier in the day, he'd gotten word from a friend in the State department that the search for Magnum and the others had been called off. The trail had gone completely cold in the past couple of weeks. Without anything new to help track the men down, the higher ups could no longer authorize any more time or money spent on the search. If any leads surfaced in the future, then that would be a different matter, but for now the search was on hold.

It saddened him that things had worked out like they had, and he wished he could do something about it. However, the only thing he could think of at the moment was to keep working on the manuscript and get it published. At least in this small way, his friends would be immortalized after having made the ultimate sacrifice.

Back then, the main character had a different call sign, something that was as far from reality as he could make it from Thomas's without it sounding too stupid for the protagonist of his book. With this morning's news however, Robin was considering changing the hero's code name and making it true to life.

He debated upon the idea only as long as it took him to come across the next instance of it. Thanks to his computer, it wasn't quite the monotonous process it could've been, and sometime later, the protagonist of the book was reborn as the _White Knight_. It seemed a fitting tribute, and it felt right for the character. Then again, he might be a little biased towards the name because of the real life hero who had held it.

Over the next couple of days, Robin finished the final read through of his manuscript, at times saddened when he read the name "White Knight," yet still convinced the name change had been the right thing to do.

And now there was just one more detail to take care of – giving his book a title. He considers several possibilities, but in the end, Robin goes with the obvious: _The White Knight_.

He picks up his phone to call his editor in order to let her know the good news, that a first draft of his book is finished, when he realizes there was something missing from it – a dedication. Not all books had them, but in this case, he thought his needed one to be complete.

He didn't think it would be difficult writing a dedication in remembrance of friends most likely lost in battle, but it was. Robin didn't want to out Thomas as the inspiration behind his protagonist just in case his friends manage to pull off another miracle and come back home alive. Yet, he wanted to acknowledge in some way all that Thomas, Nuzo, TC, and Rick had done for him while he'd been embedded with them as a journalist, not the least of which was keeping him alive so he could write the book he'd just finished.

Robin went through what felt like a thousand different versions of a dedication, and finally decided on something simple.

_Thank you to my real life inspiration_.

He hoped one day his friends would read the dedication and realized all the things he had wanted to say but couldn't. But if they never read it, then at least the world would know what his friends meant to him.

ooooooo

_**The end.**_

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**A/N:** Writing for a character that's yet to be seen or heard on screen isn't the easiest thing to do, but I hope you enjoyed my attempt at Robin Masters.

Many thanks to Celticgal1041 for proofing. Any remaining mistakes are my fault.

**Disclaimer:** Magnum P.I. is not mine. I'm just borrowing the concepts and characters for a little while.

_**Thanks for reading!**_


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